We've known Chris and Leah since Steven worked with Chris about 6 or 7 years ago, and they are two of the sweetest, most genuine people I've ever met. It was an absolute pleasure to photograph their wedding (finally!), and they were smiling, happy and gorgeous all day long.
A nice aspect about shooting in the UK is the abundance of beautiful old churches and hotels, two of which feature here. The wedding seemed so intimate, partly because every single person involved, from florist to cake maker to videographer (and photographer!) was either family or close friend. The church in Old St Mellons normally charges for bell ringing, but they loved Leah and Chris so much they put on the bells for free.
Oh and the weather behaved perfectly too! Cloudy at the church (great) and sunny later on for the reception.
I don't normally post blog images before I've finished all my wedding editing, but Leah is very good at emotional blackmail and I'm posting these for her and Chris to view whilst on honeymoon. Hence the huge number I've chosen! Enjoy you two...


Of course once a bride has had her nails, hair and makeup done, it's time to feed the pet rabbits...



















I mentioned this image to Leah during the wedding - the way Chris is looking at her just makes me want to cry! I am SUCH a emotional softy these days.


Her little flower wand broke:









See you when you get back from honeymoon you two, and thanks for having me :)
Although the indoor lighting was a bit of a challenge - I love that I had a chance to capture the mood and atmosphere of each spot.. I really wanted to do these beautiful places justice. Plus one of my pet hates is using flash during a ceremony (I have yet to encounter a location that requires extra lighting), and if I can capture a wedding in a cave without flash, I'm happy! For any photography types.. I was shooting inside at ISO 3600, f1.4.
Sometimes it's fantastic to work with other film/photography types since they understand the importance of giving me free reign! Welcome to my photography heaven...

















At this point in the day after the sun disappeared it was COLD. And I mean wearing two jackets, thick socks and a hat and it's-still-cold kind of COLD. I could have easily shot here for another 4 hours, but I didn't want anyone to hate me so we moved on after a couple of minutes. I have to say, I could see the glow of the sunset on the snow-capped mountains in the rearview mirror as we drove off and I was slightly dying inside.







Thank you Emma and Hugh for such a fabulous, emotional wedding, and for being your lovely selves infront of the camera.
As Emma and Hugh partied into the night, Steven and I were driving back to Dunedin. A journey where we discovered that Elmer is scared of the dark - he sleeps with a dim light on at home - scared enough to sob in the back whenever we left a street-lit area. So I sat with him and held his hand until he fell asleep, the poor mite. I remember having a glow worm toy when I was little, so I'll have to get him something like that for any future night journeys. Such a sensitive soul!!
Sinead! Your photos are always gorgeous but these are beautiful! stunning x
(06.27.10 @ 12:54 AM)as always stunning Sinead!!!!!
(06.27.10 @ 09:29 AM)Thank you ladies!!
(06.29.10 @ 12:27 AM)Andrew is Welsh (YEY!!!!), Leah is from Dunedin, and they live over in Barry, South Wales with their gorgeous daughter Seren (what a lovely Welsh name!). Not only did Andrew and Leah fly halfway around the world for their New Zealand wedding... but they managed to haul over TWENTY SEVEN of their friends and family! A number that so impressed the local press here that they appeared in the Otago Daily Times.
The day started with champagne and strawberries at Leah's mum's house, and was followed by a service at St Joseph's Basilica. A and L then organised a tour of the city for their lovely Welsh guests, before ending up at Glenfalloch country lodge, where the fire was burning and the night ended with dancing and sparklers. I love sparklers.
Oh and one more thing. Leah and Andrew were just a delight to work with - from keeping in touch with me regularly after our first meeting a year ago, to sending me little tidbits about their wedding, to being like two completely in love MODELS on the day itself. I couldn't ask for more.



















Have a fabulous honeymoon in Thailand you two!
I have another wedding coming up to show you, with a ceremony inside a cave.....
Gorgeous photos! That lady in purple, with the tear in her eye -- must be the mother of the bride, no? She looks so moved by her daughter's beauty in that dress!
(06.17.10 @ 06:06 PM)wow...what can i say.......so excited........these are wonderful.....well done jolene.....
(06.18.10 @ 11:15 AM)hi sinead....so sorry i called you jolene....i had just emailed jolene to tell her how beautiful her flowers were....
(06.19.10 @ 11:24 AM)Haha, no problems, I was thinking "Jolene??" She did do a lovely job with the flowers!
(06.19.10 @ 01:20 PM)Another Queensberry Wedding Album to show you, that I've just dispatched to Sean and Sacha. They chose a stylish black silk cover with classic ivory mounted images inside. Yum:








God damn.............. awesome pics !!X
(06.03.10 @ 01:06 AM)Thanks! :)
(06.20.10 @ 01:25 PM)






I'll be blogging a few more albums as they arrive over the coming weeks. In the meantime I need to dissuade Elmer from thinking my keyboard is a toy...
Good luck with the new blog, Sinead - also with the strawbale house! - Ian
(05.24.10 @ 12:02 PM)




Great shots. Really sorry to have not made it. Leah looks amazing, especially fifth shot, stunning. Chris you scrubbed up alright too. King for a day. Ha! Congratulations to you both and as Sinead said at the top, great couple.
(08.19.10 @ 12:22 PM)Hey Stevo, met Elmer the other day what a cute baby even though he's a mini me of you! no probs with not making it, i know you have your home to build, been following the progress looking good! Sinead was explaining about the latest wood delivery nightmare!
We had a wicked day, and a nightmare of a honeymoon, Goa out of season is like barry island in the winter with hardly anything open!! even Sinead didn't recognise palaulim beach from our photo's. were gona put it down as a holiday and have a honeymoon again.
Hope all is well with you it must be so cool building your own home! especially as we can see the stages through the blog! Sinead done a fab job with the photo's they're amazing, the problem we got now is picking 50 out of a few hundread!!
The King!!
(09.05.10 @ 04:08 AM)